Monday 13th May, 2019

Accra, May 13, GNA - A delegation from the
Africa Union Continental Free Trade area (CFTA) arrived in Accra on Monday to
assess Ghana’s bid to host its Secretariat.

Ghana is among six other countries that have
put in a bid to host the CFTA Secretariat, which aims at establishing a single
market across the Continent.

The rest are eSwatini, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Senegal and Madagascar.

Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Information
Minister, received the 10-man delegation led by Ambassador Rosette Nyirinkindi
Katungye, an Advisor on Regional Integration at the Bureau Office of the AU
Chairperson, shortly after arrival at the Kotoka International Airport.

The Information Minister said the delegation
was in Accra to inspect Ghana’s preparedness as one of the countries bidding to
host the Secretariat.

He said Ghana was looking forward to
grabbing the opportunity to host the ACFTA Secretariat, which would bring
several benefits to the nation.

“In the coming days Ghanaian officials will
take them round on an inspection to show our preparedness. If you have the
secretariat in your country, it is a huge deal which will bring many
opportunities for the growth of this country” he told journalists.

The Africa Continental Free Trade Area is a
planned free trade area outlined in the ACFTA Agreement among 49 of the 55
African countries.

President Akufo-Addo in March last year
appended his signature to the three legal instruments namely; the Agreement
establishing the Continental Free Trade Area; the Protocol on Free Movement of
Persons and the Kigali declaration which established the ACFTA.